


Home from Home

by Daegaer



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: 1920s, Anthropomorphic Personifications, Food, Friendship, Gen, International Relations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-19
Updated: 2011-04-19
Packaged: 2017-10-19 00:57:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/195132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daegaer/pseuds/Daegaer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lithuania begins to feel at home in America's house.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home from Home

“What are you singing?”

Lithuania jumped and looked round, trying not to look guilty. “It’s just a children’s song,” he said.

America grinned. “That was pretty acrobatic. Do you always jump like that when you’re singing?”

Lithuania smiled at him. It was silly to be so easily startled, he thought. He was perfectly safe in America’s house. “It’s a European custom,” he said solemnly. “We all always jump while singing.”

America’s mouth dropped open a little in surprise, then he whacked Lithuania on the shoulder and laughed. “You almost got me! What say we go out for lunch when you’re done with whatever it is you’re doing?”

“Is it still called ‘spring cleaning’ in English, even in July?” Lithuania said.

“I guess so.”

“Then I’m spring cleaning.” Lithuania picked up his dusters and wax polish again. “I want everything to be perfect for the weekend.”

“You did all this last week,” America said. “Everything’s fine. When people show up at the party they’ll compare the house to last year and realise what a slob I was. C’mon, let’s go to lunch, stop showing me up.”

“Showing you up?” Lithuania said helplessly. It would be so much easier, he thought, if America spoke the way people did in English textbooks.

“Making me look bad,” America grinned. He blinked as Lithuania started to apologise. “Whoa, hey, hey! I’m kidding! The house is great! You’re great! Everything’s great! I just want to show you this new place I found for lunch.”

“I just want the house to be in good order for your birthday,” Lithuania said, forcing himself not to twist the dusters between his hands. He’d bought the nicest handkerchiefs he could afford, but it wasn’t much of a present.

America put his hands in his pockets and looked around, rocking back and forth on his heels and toes. “Looks good to me,” he said. “Don’t you worry, it’s going to be a great day. I’ve got a house that looks just fine, it’s been sunny all week, everyone’s going to have a good time. Specially me,” he said cheerfully, “because I’ve got a friend to make sure I don’t get nervous in the run-up to the party, right, Lithuania? You’ll look after me?”

Lithuania laughed. He couldn’t imagine anything making America nervous. “I’ll do my best, “ he said.

“And you’ll make that cake of yours like you said?”

“I’ll make the biggest šakotis I’ve ever made.”

America plucked the dusters from his grasp. “And you’ll come out of the kitchen and eat it with the rest of us. Oh, yes you will,” he said, stilling Lithuania’s protest. “You’re my friend, and it wouldn’t be the same without you.”

“I really like working for you,” Lithuania said, “you don’t have to treat me like a guest –“

“My house, my party, my rules,” America said. “Now, I’m making a rule that we go for lunch. There’s this place that does these crazy sort of dumplings with all sorts of fillings, cheese and meat, and sweet ones for desserts. You ever had pierogis?”

“Ah, once or twice,” Lithuania said amused. “They’re Polish.”

“But not Lithuanian, huh?”

“Um, you see, my history –“

“The point is,” America said, peeling him out of the apron and towing him towards the hall, “is that these are _American_. They’re the size of your _head_ ,” he said in satisfaction. “I hope you’re hungry!”

 _I really like it here_ , Lithuania thought, still hurriedly pulling on his jacket as America shooed him out the door into the sunshine and down the street, still talking about his astonishing food discovery. _I really like you._ He kept pace with America, interjecting words where he could, and felt light and free, unburdened by all that had weighed him down at home. He was someone else in America’s house, he thought, and he looked forward to all the years in which he could find out who this new person might be.


End file.
